*Sponsored Post by Ray of Hope Counseling Services*

February is the month of love but if you have been in your relationship for a while, you might not celebrate the fun of Valentine’s Day anymore, which is a bummer. That’s because relationships are constantly changing. They are never static and are in a constant state of change, which can be fun, but it can also lead to quite a few mixed feelings. Change, however, is in fact a great thing, even if it can be hard to navigate at first. As you change, so does a relationship, and we need to make sure we are not only rolling with the changes, but we also need to make sure that we are not holding on to the past.

But, one thing that should always stay the same in a relationship is dating. You should never, ever, ever change that because dating is so very important in every single relationship stage. No matter how many other things are changing in your life, you need to make sure that you make dating a priority.

The great thing about dating is your dates do not have to be traditional. In fact, they can be everyday tasks and sometimes, when you turn these everyday tasks into a date, it can lead to not only a great time, but also a stronger relationship, as well. Today, I want to take the time to talk with you all about date ideas that will improve your relationship. Here are a few ideas:

A Night Out At The Gym

I’m sure you’ve heard people say the phrase, “Couples who workout together stay together,” right? Well, it’s true! Working out boosts endorphins and helps with overall mood levels, in general. That’s why I think it’s such a great idea for a workout because it will not only put you both in better moods, but you will push each other to workout a bit harder than you normally would alone. Plus, you get to spend some extra time together, which is always nice.

Cook Dinner Together

I always say that cooking together makes or breaks a relationship, ha! While (of course) this is not really true, cooking with others really can test a relationship because it forced you to work as a team, which a lot of married couples (and non-married couples) struggle with. Becoming a team in a relationship is a huge part of a healthy, successful relationship and cooking together is a great way to foster that mindset.

Travel To Foreign Places

Once again, traveling to foreign places will help you become more of a team. Most of the time, when you are traveling to foreign places, it pushes you together and makes you work as a team. You have to tackle communicating in a new language and getting around the city, or cities, which are not easy feats, but in addition to that, you also have to create a game plan that is dependent on what the both of you want to do. This can definitely be a hard task, especially if you have different interests, so it really helps you learn how to problem solve, work together, and it also forces you to get out of your comfort zone and occasionally put the other person first, which is a really good thing in a relationship (in moderation, of course). While traveling to a foreign place is not always an easy date night to accomplish due to distance and money, it is a really great way to improve your relationship and have fun while doing so!

Go To Therapy

While going to therapy does not seem like a great date idea when you first think about it, hear me out. As normal human beings, we all go through struggles and when you join in a relationship with another normal human, you are bringing both of your struggles together. A relationship will not survive if you never discuss these struggles and never work as a team to figure out solutions to the struggles. This is why I believe that open communication is so very important in a relationship, but sometimes you need more than just open communication. It’s nice to bring in a third party because they will see another side to the story and instead of thinking emotionally, they will think soundly.

So, maybe trade out one really fun date night a month for a couples therapy session and make it into a date night by going out to dinner before or after. I promise that your relationship will benefit so much from this simple task of talking to someone else! If you are looking for a counselor, you might want to consider Ray of Hope Counseling Services because of their wide range of expertise such as stress and anger management, LGBTQ issues, equine therapy, Christian counseling, crisis intervention, depression and anxiety therapy, play therapy, and more. If you are looking to address your marital concerns and learn how to overcome life changes and challenges in a safe and welcoming environment, Ray of Hope Counseling Services is there to help you find the most effective approach and treatment for the both of you. They have seven locations all over Georgia and their professional psychotherapists and counselors have a wide skill set and a lot of knowledge + passion to help you with your struggles. For example, founder and clinical director, Lynn Thompson Umstead, has had personal experience with infertility, so she is able to provide both a level of professional and personal understanding to help her clients through such a difficult time. This is just one of many reasons why she has a passion for working with blended families, couples, and women.